Animals & Nature

Rusty Fizzbang, vet to magical beasts, needs an apprentice. Ember Spark, looking for adventure, is his newest recruit - and together with an unlikely friend, Arno, she is sent to help a baby dragon whose parents have gone missing. But keeping magical beasts a secret isn’t an easy task, especially with arch-villain, Jasper Hornswoggle, hot on their heels and keen to derail them.

When a dragon eats a bus on London Bridge, Jack, Nancy and Stoop are on a mission to track it down. But what does the dragon have to do with the death of Jack’s mum? And why has the monster hunting manual always filed dragons under ‘D’ for DON’T EXIST (things that)? Maybe there’s more to this ‘tail’ than meets the eye . . .

In Willow Wish Woods stands the ancient Emerald King. It is the tallest tree in the forest and there's something special about it. Something magic... Benji, Shyla, Ajay, Trix, Fujiko and Eric discover its branches are damaged. Who could have hurt the tree, and why? The stream, the Tadpole Run, is full of rubbish, and there's not a frog in sight. The friends decide to form the Woodland Explorers Club. Their mission is to solve the mystery of the Emerald King, protect the animals of Willow Wish Woods and bring the magic of the forest back to life.

Do you have a pet cat? Settle down for Quiet Time and join us for a collection of feline tales, that will transport you and your little into the wonderful world that will show what our feline friends get up to when we’re not looking.

Jack can't wait for the school trip to the D-Day landing beaches. It's his chance to learn more about the war heroes he has always admired – brave men like his dad, who is a reserve soldier. But when his dad is called up to action and things at home spiral out of control, everything Jack believes about war is thrown into question. Finding comfort only in the presence of his loyal dog, Finn, Jack is drawn to the heart-wrenching true story of one particular D-Day paratrooper.

Despite running his own zoo, Zak Bates considers himself pretty normal for a thirteen-year-old. Visited by Ra-Kit, a scruffy feline with some serious catnip issues, he's ill-prepared for the life-or-death assignment that follows. With the weight of the world on his shoulders, Zak must represent the Animal Kingdom at a United Nations Conference on Global Warming, convince the world government to stop poisoning the planet, broker interspecies peace, and diffuse an impending, bloody rebellion—just a bit harder than algebra!

For Zak Bates and his magical friends, the next eco-adventures is usually right around the corner. In Zanesville, Ohio, a dangerous menagerie has escaped from a private preserve, and the situation threatens to spiral out of control. Francis, a spirit bear from British Columbia is being held captive, and, to free him, the Eco-Adventurers will need to align with Chatters, a white (knight) squirrel.

Nia Gaines is the newest member of Zak Bate's Eco-Adventure task force—it's only, she doesn't know it yet. When Nia's parents drag her along on a business trip to China, the source of their affluence soon becomes clear: ivory, prized since ancient times for its beauty and never before so rare. In Beijing's back-alley curio shops, the prices are great...but what's the cost? The answer will change Nia's world.

In Ra-Kit's Initiation, you'll discover the secrets behind Ra-Kit's magical powers and how she became the last of her kind. Join Ra-Kit as her flying dog companion, Sampson, shares a quirky romp through London in the mid-1800s on how an orphan kitten joined the elite team of magic cats while altering the course for all the animals of the world.

Get ready for a wild ride with Ham and Cheese in Going to Hawaii, the first short tale in The Adventures of Ham and Cheese series! Set against the lush backdrop of Hawaii, these two daring Pug-Zu pups are about to embark on a memorable journey.

Did you know that there are more insects than any other group of animals? The diversity of insects is staggering. What do ants have in common with bees? What’s the difference between a butterfly and a moth? How are ladybugs and weevils related? Some insects have a set of wings, some have two, but others might not have any. Some insects have a hard outer shell (exoskeleton). Learn how insects are alike and how they are different in this latest addition to the Compare and Contrast Series.

What do crabs and lobsters have in common, and how are they different? While both animals live in the ocean, one prefers to swim and the other walks. One can be found in coastal tidepools and the other offshore. They both have skeletons on the outside of their bodies. There’s more to these animals than just being good food for us. Learn about these fascinating crustaceans in the latest addition to our Compare and Contrast Series.

Seals and sea lions look very similar, and it’s sometimes difficult to tell them apart. Both marine mammals live in oceans all over the world. One has visible ear flaps, while the other has ears but no external flaps. One swooshes through the water using their back flippers, and the other uses their front flippers to swim through water. On land, one bounces along, and the other can “walk” on their hind flippers. Learn about the similarities and differences between these marine mammals in this latest addition to our Compare and Contrast Series!

Have you ever wondered what’s inside that “thing” on the plant? What about what lives in the hole in the tree or what lives inside that “pile of leaves or sticks?” Explore and learn what some of these natural history objects are in this latest book by Nature Photographer and Naturalist Mary Holland.

When one hears the word “panda” most people immediately think of the large, black and white “panda bears.” Yes, they are a type of bear. Did you know that red pandas are in an animal family of their own? While the two animals may not be related through animal classification, they share similar characteristics like a “thumb wrist” and a reliance on bamboo. Explore the similarities and differences between these mammals in this latest addition to the Compare and Contrast Series!